


Letters From Him

by stardestroyer



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Love Letters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 21:12:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14679603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardestroyer/pseuds/stardestroyer
Summary: A little insight on the letters Ryoma sent Corrin during their courtship.





	Letters From Him

**Author's Note:**

> Just WHAT was written in those letters for Corrin to freak out like that when Shiro asked her about them?  
> (Kudos if you can find Ryoma's My Room dialogue lines sprinkled in here!)

It's an understatement to say that returning from Nohr to Hoshido after betraying her family was challenging. Corrin could no longer live under King Garon's oppression, so she turned to Hoshido's peaceful ways in hopes to end the war next to her birth family. The family she had always known now saw her as a traitor. Her beloved sister Camilla no longer looked at her lovingly nor coddled her, and sweet Elise no longer smiled at her, instead they both looked truly heartbroken-- betrayed.

They tried convincing her to return, but Corrin couldn't turn her back on Hoshido. Her mother had died for her. Because of her. They all changed so much, especially Leo. It broke her heart to hear him spout venom at her with those cruel words only he could convey, accusing her of being a traitor and stealing his spot in the family, stealing Xander's and Camilla's love and attention. What broke her heart was when Xander raised his sword at her and called her a traitor. Xander had been a brother and a father to her, he was always so kind to her, and seeing him like that and having to fight him tore a hole through her chest. She was the cause her family was destroyed and they could no longer stand in the same room together.

She couldn't change her decisions, this was the path she chose to walk. And walk she would. Corrin had no regrets, for all was for the good of the kingdoms. She only wished Xander could remove the blindfold from his eyes and realize his father had changed and the war needed to come to an end.

During her time at Hoshido, she made up for lost time with Hinoka and Sakura. Corrin would spar with Hinoka and have tea with Sakura. Takumi was another case, no matter what she did, earning his trust was hard-- he held her accountable for Queen Mikoto's death and hated her for it-- but he slowly opened up to her in the middle of archery practices. Ryoma was always very nice to her, making himself available for her even if he was short on time. She stayed in the same room she had when she lived in Hoshido as a child and almost everyone in the palace was nice to her. Ryoma's retainers were wary of her at first, having eyes on her at all times and Saizo was never one to hesitate in verbally expressing his distrust towards her. Slow but steady, she won their love and trust.

Ryoma was always busy preparing for the war and later on the coronation, so they settled for communicating through letters. He loved writing them, after all. He started it the night she arrived, having Kagero deliver a letter to her room. It helped take Corrin's mind off things and they could have the chats they couldn't have in person through a piece of paper with their deepest thoughts written in black ink.

 

_Dear Corrin,_

_Unfortunately, my busy schedule does not allow me much free time and holding out personal conversations is a luxury I do not have the pleasure of partaking in very often. I will write you letters as often as I can instead. Kagero will make sure they are delivered to you. If you wish to write back, she will make sure I receive them as well._

_I am glad to have you back in Hoshido with us. I knew from the day that your mother, Queen Mikoto, married my father, King Sumeragi, that you would change our lives. Father took you in as one of his own and we always treated you as another sibling. You filled our lives with joy, until the fateful day when King Garon kidnapped you and stole your rightful place in Hoshido. We were all heartbroken. I was devastated that the little sister I had grown to cherish so much was no longer by our side. Time passed and we all grew bitter, until you came back. You turned your back on the people you had called family all of your life. I cannot imagine the hardships they put you through while you were living with them. Nohrians are cruel and I would not put it past them to harm a child. Even so, I am glad they raised you to be the kind woman you are now. No matter what happens, we, your family, will always have your back. If there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to summon me._

_Sincerely,_

_Prince Ryoma of Hoshido_

  

Corrin started to look forward to night time, when she would have a beautifully written letter delivered to her desk. Nohr uses a different written language from Hoshido. She's fluent in it, but it does take her longer to reply than she would like. After all, her handwriting always paled next to Leo's and Xander's; they all wrote in beautiful scripts with exquisite detail-- Leo's was delicate, while Xander's was always neat and elegant. With Ryoma, it seemed to be the same case. The handwriting was smooth, delicate strokes of ink forming lines and shapes on the paper that Corrin would trace with her fingertips. Part of the reason that she took longer to reply was because she would always busy herself admiring the characters on the paper.

Their relationship progressed through their mail exchange. Kagero and Saizo didn't think much of it, simply two siblings scribbling out their feelings and meaningless thoughts in paper because they couldn't talk too often. Little did they know that these letters were so much more than that. They were special and Corrin would always treasure them. She had gone into town with Kaden one day and had gotten a box for them, so whenever she would receive one, she would store it away where nobody could see it. She was grateful that Ryoma's two loyal retainers didn't pry into what was in the letters as they did with most things.

Sometimes, when she went to bed, she apologized to her mom and thanked her at the same time. Apologized because there was no denying that she was falling in love with Ryoma. They would meet in occasions and it would make her heart swell with joy. She was grateful her mother married King Sumeragi, a wonderful man who had raised equally wonderful children-- she loved her family so much.

 

_Dearest Corrin,_

_I hope you can forgive my boldness, but as I told you before, I am elated that we are not related. I have suppressed my feelings for so long. Those same feelings that often kept me up at night are now out in the light, the truth has set me free. I was worried you wouldn't feel the same way, or that Hoshido would be disappointed in their King for having fallen in love with the woman his father took in as his daughter. Even if I have never seen you as a sister, you did not know we were not related and I apologize for not having told you sooner. I did not know how you would take it, things have been so difficult these past few months. I'm glad I finally told you. For you, Corrin, I would do anything. If only I could tell you all of this in person._

_I wish to stand by your side and have you by my side. As my friend, as my wife, as the Queen of Hoshido. I want to be your life partner, if you'll have me._

_Yours,_

_Prince Ryoma of Hoshido_

  

Ryoma had given her a ring before they had their talk, he had told her it was a ring they had made as siblings, but not once did Corrin imagine it was actually an engagement ring. Her heart almost melted that day, to have him pour out his heart to her and then write it again in a letter so she could never forget. She loved this man so much. She would gladly marry him, no matter what anyone else thought. They weren't blood related. They weren't raised together. They were as good as strangers. And marry him she did.

Some time after their initial courting period, Ryoma's letters got bolder, particularly after marriage. Not that he had ever been the bashful type, but this new side of him added an extra spark Corrin never saw coming. He was always a gentleman to her, but the Ryoma in the letters that promised long nights full of passion was one she would never tire of. He promised and delivered. They would often meet by the waterfall they used to train in. After the night they consummated their marriage-- Corrin forgot how thin the walls in the palace in Hoshido were, compared to the sturdy walls of the fortress she knew home-- and half of the residents heard them, they tried to keep their romantic escapades outside. Takumi and Sakura had heard it all and months after, she still can't really face them.

 

_To my beloved Corrin,_

_Come meet me by the waterfall at midnight. I believe some rekindling of our burning flame is in order._

_Succumbing to the bodily needs one has is… embarrassing, to say the least. But I cannot resist you. I need to have you in my arms. I have missed caressing you and showing you how much I love and desire you. I want to shower you in kisses, all of the love you deserve and more. I cherish every moment we have together, my dear._

_Eagerly,_

_King Ryoma of Hoshido_

  

After one of those fateful encounters, the proof of their love blossomed and Corrin was expecting a child. A child of the King, the Crown Prince of Hoshido. They were both overjoyed. The kingdom rejoiced even through the conflicts between Hoshido and Nohr, they had reason to celebrate the birth of the King's firstborn. Ryoma named him Shiro, Daybreak. As happy as they were to have their baby, they had to secure him in a Deeprealm, where he would be raised by caretakers and oblivious of his royal status. If he couldn't be there for him, he wanted his son to at least have a happy life without the burden of the crown. He grew up to be a kind man, like his father.

  

_Dearly beloved,_

_Thank you, Corrin. Thank you for giving me this gift. You have made me the happiest man in the world. I love you, my dear. Please don't ever leave me alone._

_Forever yours,_

_Ryoma_

  

And now their son stood before her, still unbelieving he was the Prince, demanding to know if Ryoma treated her well because he was always very stern and never around. Ryoma and Shiro may have gotten off on the wrong foot, so they had a bit of a rivalry between them, but they quickly developed a close bond after Ryoma gave him the scolding of his life, which made Shiro reconsider his attitude. Corrin explained to him that his father was more than a wonderful husband to her, that he was a romantic and would write her letters. Shiro, being one that believed by witnessing rather than words, asked to see them. They were something private shared between them, wonderful memories that Corrin would always hold dear.

 "Shiro, that's something between your dad and I. I can't show them to you."

To Corrin's relief, somehow, that was enough for him. She would make sure he never saw those letters. Shiro could never see the written evidence that untangled the events responsible for his and Kana's existence. Their image would be tarnished and ruined if he ever read any of Ryoma's letters. Whichever one he were to get his hands on.


End file.
